Been working it out for a while now, and the finalised list goes something like this.

Buck 110 folding knife.

Extra pair of socks.

Compass.

Iodine tablets for 12 litres.

Flint n steel.

Torched cork n lighter in a baggie (face camo).

Mini Coghlans folding saw (saws everything from saplings to Elk for only $4).

Mini diamond rod for putting an edge back on the 110.

Mini mag flashlight n two extra batteries.

Mini file for touching up my broadheads (3 blade).

15 feet of rope.

1 MRE (tastes like hell but convenient and keeps you going).

Can of Bear Spray (recent addition to my pack).

1 good book.

And a small first aid kit with bandages, mirror, tweezers, and other nicknacks.

My pack also has a Camelback that holds 6 litres of water, so I don’t have to lug a water bottle around, which is nice. All in all water included it weighs about 7ish pounds.

By definition, 6 liters of water weighs 6 kilograms. 6 kg X 2.2 lb/KG = 12lbs water.

Unless of course, you have lighter water, or less gravity in your neck of the woods 😀

That’s a good list above. I have used such lists for years. Typically I start a hunting season by putting all the “safety” stuff, the carcass care stuff, snacks, navigation aids, and water in my pack. By the end of the third day of hunting half of that junk is scattered around the cabin or behind the seat of the truck. Now I am down to knife, food, water, navigation (GPS, compass, & map if in new territory).

My new guideline is to ask about every item, “Have I ever used this item on an actual hunt?” If the answer is “No” I leave it out.

Sometimes less is more.

So much is situation dependent. Things I always seem to have:

bottle of water

small knife

notepad and pen (waterproofed)

other things I would typically bring:

Nav:

waterproofed map

silva compass

pace counter

First Aid:

super glue

alcohol swabs

israeli bandage

strapping tape

Random/handy:

another 1 litre bottle of water (or a camel back)

bino’s or spotting scope

head torch

10meters of hoochie chord (a very thin rope… thinner than para-chord but not as strong)

roll of black electrical tape

handful of zip-ties

sun screen

insect repellent

lighter

steri-tabs

nut or chocolate bar

phone/camera

field knife

If I’m hunting with friends I’ll bring a proper tourniquet as well. If I was planning to overnight out of my daybag there’d be even more.

I love seeing lists like this, it’s all so personal and experience based, most people have different bits and pieces 🙂

Steve,

If you’re getting technical, it’s 13.2# 😆 .

Although that seems a pretty big camelback.

I hate to throw a monkey wrench into this, but the original question being “day pack” and “extras”, what exactly are we talking?

By this, I mean, deer or small game? Hot or cold weather? From home or camp? In or out of cellphone range?

I hate to make it harder, but a small knife, extra bow string, some snacks and some 0.5L bottles of water are about all for me.

Why? Because I can make a bandage to stop bleeding, or even a tourniquet, out of just about anything I am wearing, I can use my cell phone to call for help and I can walk to my Jeep for anything else I might need (a heavier jacket, etc).

But again, I am in cellphone range, near my car and pretty much just hanging out in a stand (reading a book).

Now if I was in the “real” country, it would be much different. First, my swiss army knife is always in my pocket, but I would take along something “beefier”. Definitely a water treatment system. No point carrying it when you can make it. GPS, map, and maybe even one of those emergency satellite things that can send a distress signal with your coordinates to S&R if need be via satellite not cell. Emergency blanket (again, hot v. cold, but hot can get real cold real fast), MRE (lasts forever, has about 2000-3000 Kcal), and some signal device (whistle, mirror, etc). This, as well as what was already put out by others, would be it. Again, I thing what is throwing me off (or I am just looking too much into it) is DAY pack and what type of hunt (i.e. hunting in a place like Africa where there are 500 different bugs, snakes and other critters that can kill you with a bite as opposed to hunting 50 yards from a 7-11 like I do in a climate and area where the only animals you fear walk on 2 feet).

OK, that was my $0.02. Hope it helped. Be well.

Alex

😀

My backountry hunting kit:

Basics:

Headlamp/extra batteries

Map

Extra layers (seasonal)

H20 – usually at least a couple liters

Snacks

Couple game calls

Bear spray

Rain jacket

Bow-related

Broadhead sharpener/strop

Extra bow string

Stringer

Game kit:

– 2 knives

– sharpening stuff

– game bags (at least 2, big heavy duty)

– saw

– 25ft. of heavy cord

Emerg. Supplies:

Small 1st Aid kit

Small fire kit (lighter, striker, tinder)

Compass

Whistle

Signal mirror

Iodine tabs

Bear spray and knife on the hip. The rest easily fits in an 1800cu. in. daypack with room to spare.

I love thinking about this too, right about now in the year I start making sure my gear is all working. I have a whole hunting box that’s always in my truck, but on any day trip I always carry:

Knife – one that can carve wood, skin, gut, and quarter.

Sharpener

Water

Bag of nuts

Hunting tags/license & pen

Matches and lighter

Game bags

Rope

Headlamp w/ extra batteries

A length of duct tape rolled around a pencil

Extra bowstring

Map or gps

The water is by far the heaviest to carry. If I know the area I’m hunting well, then I can get away with drinking from streams and leaving water in the truck.

A couple of bags of Fritos – something to snack on and GREAT fire starter !